


AU - Angel

by Aria6



Series: A Coyote's Stories [24]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 03:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3342512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria6/pseuds/Aria6





	1. Chapter 1

Shunsui looked at the doll in his hands and smiled to himself as he marveled at the perfection of it.

It was not actually a doll, of course. No, it was a miniature robot complete with a powerful AI. It was perfectly human looking and Shunsui gazed into the tiny, serene face of a young man. His shoulder length hair was dark chestnut and he had a scraggly little beard on his chin. His eyes were closed at the moment but when they opened they were a steely grey with just the faintest sheen of blue.

"Coyote Starrk." Shunsui murmured the name of his avatar. This was his toy, his tool, his partner. The little robot was meant for a battle game, Dueling Angels. He was in fact the oldest such toy to exist. All the others from Starrk's generation had been retired or destroyed, but not this one. Somehow, Starrk only seemed to get better with age. His reflexes were so sharp that other teams lived in dread of his gun. And Shunsui's connection with the AI was full and deep.

Yet, despite that, Shunsui had never heard his partner speak. Other people heard their robots' voices, he knew. The AI's they possessed were very powerful and more than capable of speech. Yet, Starrk never spoke. Shunsui often spoke to him but never once had he received a reply. He sometimes wondered if it was because of Starrk's generation. The very first robots had often been defective, in various ways. Perhaps his was mute.

Putting aside that thought, he gently put Starrk into the charging field. The little robot immediately became alive, looking up at him with solemn grey eyes. Shunsui smiled at the serious look on his face. It was all just a game, but Starrk never acted that way. No, he treated each battle as if it was life and death. Perhaps that was why he was so good at it.

Putting on the headset, Shunsui merged his mind with the doll's. Across from them, their opponent set down his robot and they both prepared, lifting their weapons. To Shunsui it felt incredibly real. He was part of Starrk, guiding the AI's actions and lending him strategic insights. The doll could fight without him, but not as well. They were designed to fight with human guidance, not independently.

The battle that followed was hard and fast. They were fighting against a brand new doll… it was unusual, twin children. Shunsui wasn't sure how his opponent could control it. But he'd never been interested in any robot but Starrk.

As the battle went on, Shunsui was vaguely aware of a strange feeling from his body. A sensation of pressure? But it was meaningless. All that mattered was the hard fight he was experiencing. Starrk's guns blazed with practiced skill as they –

Shunsui. Their performance suddenly faltered as he felt shock. That voice… who was it? It was deep and concerned. You are not well.

Starrk? He thought, shocked beyond words. His AI was speaking to him? They had been partners for so long and he'd never heard a thing.

Abort this match. Starrk's voice was commanding but Shunsui ignored him, helping the robot dodge an attack. They were too deeply committed. If he aborted in the middle the robot could be badly damaged. You are having a heart attack. Abort immediately.

No! A heart attack? That was absurd. He was too young for that. He briefly felt his AI's frustration, followed by calm resolution.

Emergency abort. Shunsui cried out as his connection to his doll was abruptly severed. Then the crushing pain suddenly hit him and he gasped, grasping his chest as he bent over. A heart attack…? But he was a young man. There were cries of surprise among the watchers as Starrk suddenly went down, hit twice, no, three times by his opponents lightning attack. Shunsui tried to reach for him but then the pain overwhelmed him. He was aware of more cries as he collapsed, the concerned face of his white haired opponent bending over him…

Then, darkness.

Shunsui woke up to the sound of quiet beeping.

For a moment he was confused, uncertain about what had happened. Then he remembered. The match, hearing Starrk's voice, the pain… the tried to look up but there was a mask over his face. What had happened? He was only thirty! How could he have…?

"Shunsui?" That was his girlfriend, Nanao. He relaxed at the sound of her voice before suddenly tensing again. Starrk. What had happened to Starrk? "Are you awake?"

"Yes…" He managed to say, turning his head to look at her. "Starrk. Where…?" The little AI had saved his life. What had happened to his doll? He must have been badly damaged. There was a soft sob from Nanao and he blinked as she suddenly hugged him.

"Worrying about a toy at a time like this? Shunsui…" She said and he would have protested but she was smiling at him, her face full of joy. "I'm so glad you're awake. The doctors say you'll be fine."

"What happened?" That redirected his mind to himself. What had happened to him? Nanao gently petted back a bit of stray hair before she explained.

"It was a heart defect. You must have had it since you were a baby." She said and he blinked. "Somehow, it wasn't picked up. They had to operate but they say you'll be fine now. Everything went very well. It will take a while for you to recover, though."

"Hn… and Starrk?" He needed to know about his AI. "He saved my life." He said and Nanao blinked, reaching up to adjust her glasses. "I heard him. He forced me to abort." He wouldn't have done it on his own.

"Oh. That's what happened?" Her eyes shaded with sympathy as she reached down, picking up a box? Shunsui swallowed hard as she tilted it so he could see what lay within.

"Oh Starrk." He whispered. His poor little robot was in pieces. His head was separated from his body, his left arm was shattered and there was damage to his torso. Could he be rebuilt? Shunsui had gotten him fixed many, many times, but the damage had never been this severe.

"I'm sorry." Nanao said softly. "We gathered up all the pieces we could." She said and he nodded, swallowing as he reached up to take the box. It would cost a small fortune to fix this, if it could even be done, but he would pay for it. Anything for the brave little robot that had saved his life.

"I'll get him fixed. Whatever it takes." He wasn't rich but it didn't matter, not for this. Nanao nodded although there was a flash of concern in her eyes. Thinking about the cost, no doubt. Shunsui looked at the broken little doll and still didn't care.

He needed Starrk back in his life.

"They can't fix him." Shunsui whispered, looking at the doll in his hands. Grey eyes were closed but he could imagine the solemn look the robot would be giving him.

Starrk's head had been reattached. His arm had been mended. But the damage to his torso was very bad. That was where the most delicate part, the AI of the toy, was kept. It was the largest portion of the robot and also the best protected. For a toy like this, the heads' place was to hold the sensors, the eyes and ears. The main body held the brain.

And for Starrk, that was what had taken damage. Normally that could be fixed but everyone he'd brought the toy to had simply thrown up their hands and told him to get a new one. Apparently, Starrk's neural net was absurdly intricate. One man had told him that he'd never seen anything like it in his life.

Shunsui wasn't giving up, though. He had one last appointment, one person who might be able to fix Starrk. He'd had to flirt mercilessly with the gatekeeper, a woman named Yoruichi, to arrange the meeting with the original inventor of the Dueling Angels.

And that meant he couldn't be late. Taking a deep breath, he carefully put the doll into the padded case he'd bought for him. Starrk deserved the best. Soon he was on the road, the robot on the seat beside him. Hopefully, Urahara Kisuke would be able to fix his broken toy.

"Well, well! So you're the man who so badly wanted to see me about a broken Angel." The man said lightly as Shunsui settled down on the cushions across from him. The old name made him smile a little. It had been a long, long time since the robots had been referred to as Angels. Most just called them avatars, robots, dolls or toys, not Angels.

"Yes. I have him right here, if you want to see." He said, picking up the case. Kisuke shook his head, taking a sip of his tea.

"Not just yet. Why would you bring him to me? There are many people specializing in robot repair, even micro ones." He sounded a touch curious. Shunsui looked down at the case, feeling a deep pain in his chest.

"He's first generation." He said quietly and saw Urahara tip his hat back, his eyes a bit surprised. "One of your personal designs. Everyone I've taken him to says he's too complex." That was something he didn't really understand. How could robots have decreased in complexity from nine years ago? But everyone said Urahara had been a genius and many of the first generation had been one-off, highly individual designs.

"Really? Too complex?" There was an undercurrent of concern in the other man's voice. "Can I see?" He asked and Shunsui nodded, opening the case and passing it over to Kisuke. He took the case, gazing at the toy inside it for a long moment. "Oh… my. I never thought I would see this again." He whispered, a finger gently flicking soft brown hair. Then he blinked, looking up. "Can I buy this?"

"What?" Shunsui said, startled by the request. "No. He's not for sale." He said firmly. He was not going to sell Starrk. Kisuke frowned at him, his hands closing on the case in a way that seemed possessive.

"This was stolen. It was never meant to be sold. I'm afraid I must insist." He said but Shunsui's eyes narrowed. He was not a young man and Nanao was a lawyer.

"I've had him for nine years. The statute of limitations for stolen property is seven. He's mine and you can't possibly take him from me." He said firmly. "My fiancée is a lawyer." He added, although Nanao hadn't quite agreed to be his fiancée. He was still trying to figure out how to pop the question. Urahara looked at the toy in his hands with a frown, gently running a finger over the damaged body.

"He took damage to his neural net?" He asked quietly and Shunsui nodded. "Then it may not matter. Hm…" Kisuke considered him thoughtfully for a moment. "How could a broken doll mean so much to you?" He asked and Shunsui swallowed as he remembered.

"He saved my life. It was the first time he ever spoke to me…" He explained about the heart attack during the middle of a bout. Urahara's eyes widened at the information. "I owe him my life. I know he's just an AI, a piece of circuitry but… I owe him my life."

"Ah, I see." Urahara seemed deeply saddened and gently placed the case on the table. The robot inside had his eyes closed, for all the world as if he was sleeping. "I suppose I must tell you. You're right that the statute of limitations has passed, but keeping him in this state would be very cruel. You see, this is not an AI at all. It's a transferal."

"What?" Shunsui breathed. Transferals, the copying of the higher brain functions of a human to a robot, was illegal. Mostly because of insanity… most of the early attempts had resulted in dangerous instabilities. Research was still being done but overall, it was thought that full transferal would never be feasible. And… "How can that be? He's so small!" How could a doll contain enough information? Urahara sighed, looking down at the little robot.

"Yes, I know. At the time, he was the absolute cutting edge of nano technology. Incredibly miniaturized… this kind of neural net would literally cost millions, even now." He said sadly and Shunsui swallowed. "Damage to anything else would be possible to fix, but his neural net… I'm not sure even I can do it." He gently touched the toy, examining his chest thoughtfully. "I suppose I can tell you the story. It was declassified two years ago."

"Once, there was a mercenary. The only name we knew him by was Silence." Kisuke said gravely. "He took that name because it suited his personality. He was an incredibly taciturn man. You said that he only spoke to you once?" Shunsui nodded. "That would be typical of him. He never wasted his words." Urahara said with a small smile. "He would take contracts from anyone but mostly, he worked for a man named Aizen Sosuke." He said and Shunsui swallowed. He did know that name… from news reports. "Silence was not a violent man. He preferred tasks that did not involve bloodshed and when he was forced to kill, he did so as mercifully as possible."

"However, we needed help to bring Aizen down. And Silence was vulnerable." Kisuke looked at the toy sadly. "We enlisted him as a double agent. Although we gave him no choice in the matter… he had a sister, you see." He said and Shunsui winced. "He'd managed to keep his employers, including Aizen, ignorant of her existence. We stumbled over her purely by accident and we were not above using the information. Even now, I would not apologize for that… we did what we had to do. But it cost Silence dearly. I'll spare you the details, but he ended up in a coma." Urahara said before taking a sip of his tea.

"And someone transferred him to this robot?" Shunsui asked as Kisuke just looked at the doll. He blinked, looking up.

"Yes. I argued against it but I was overruled… Silence knew so much, you see. Not just about Aizen. He was a mercenary and worked for many, many different individuals and regimes. He could have given us an amazing amount of information." Urahara said before smiling. This time it was a very amused smile. "What no one seemed to think of was how we would question him. After the transferal, he never said a single word." He gazed down at the robot thoughtfully. "He wouldn't even move. Trying to read his neural net, get the information that way, proved to be impossible. He would only generate static. We thought perhaps the transferal had failed, but our tests indicated it was successful… he simply wouldn't speak." Kisuke explained and Shunsui nodded, remembering the nine years he'd owned the toy. Not one word until their last battle. "It was very much like him. But I was absolutely sure he'd been destroyed. How did you get him?"

"I, er…" Shunsui blushed, rubbing the back of his neck as he remembered. "I had a savings bond that matured and I was desperate to be the first person in my school to own an Angel. They were so hot then… I, ah, bribed a boy with red hair to get one of the first." He said and from the look on Kisuke's face, he knew exactly who he was talking about.

"Jinta! That idiot… how much did he charge you?" Urahara asked and Shunsui winced a little.

"Five thousand dollars." He admitted. His parents had been ready to skin him when they found out. That had been enough money to pay for an entire year of college. All for an Angel that would have been a thousand at the most, if he'd been prepared to wait. Although given that he'd never replaced Starrk at all, he'd likely gotten his money's worth. Kisuke shook his head, then laughed softly.

"You got a tremendous deal, you know. A millions dollars worth of electronics is sitting in front of you. All for five thousand dollars!" Urahara said teasingly and Shunsui blinked at the thought. "Although he wouldn't resell well. Hmm." Kisuke gently eased the doll out of his case. "…You realize that the damage may be terminal." He said seriously and Shunsui bit his lip. "Transferals are far more delicate than normal AI's. He may be gone. And besides, it is cruel to keep him this way. He should be destroyed."

"No. Not without talking to him." Shunsui said firmly. "He moved for me. We were partners. I need to speak to him." He couldn't help the catch in his voice. "I need to thank him." Knowing that Starrk was a real person made that need more urgent. The little robot had known exactly what would happen to him, but he'd done it anyway. Kisuke looked at the doll for a long moment, clearly debating. Then he nodded.

"No one will be interested in his information anymore. It would all be extremely dated… so yes, I'll try to help you. But no promises." Urahara cautioned him and Shunsui nodded.

"I understand. Thank you." He knew Starrk might be 'dead'. But there was a chance he might not, too, and Kisuke was clearly the only person who could possibly fix him.

He would take the chance.

"Moment of truth." Kisuke said lightly as he set the little robot down into the retaining field. Shunsui held his breath, waiting to see what would happen.

His relief was tremendous when Starrk turned, as he had a thousand times before, looking for him. Solemn grey eyes fell on him and Shunsui smiled at his doll. The toy-that-wasn't didn't smile back, but then, he never had. He was as serious as he had been the very first time Shunsui had put him into a retaining field.

Then his expression suddenly changed and Shunsui felt shock as he stared at the doll. Seeing a smile on Starrk's face would have been alien but not unwelcome. Seeing his face twist with rage was wrong beyond words. The voice of his robot suddenly spoke as he pulled out his guns from his holsters. They could do no real damage to the people above them but the gesture was amazingly threatening.

"You." The voice was the same as the one Shunsui had heard in his match. But instead of calm, it held an iron tang of hate. Kisuke tilted his head sadly to the little toy.

"Me. My apologies, mercenary-san. I did argue against your fate." He said and the robot laughed. Shunsui winced at the bitterness in the toy's voice. But instead of speaking he simply turned away. Shunsui watched as that little face smoothed out, those grey eyes looking at him expectantly.

"Starrk, I… don't know your name." He said quietly. Calling him Silence didn't seem right either. The robot just shrugged, saying nothing. "You won't tell me?" Kisuke didn't know his name either. It seemed like the man was utterly nameless.

"Coyote Starrk is fine." The robot said and Shunsui blinked. Why didn't the man want them to know his name? He just looked at Starrk, silently demanding an answer. The toy met his gaze for a long moment before finally shifting uncomfortably. "…I have no real name. My mother did not give me one."

"Oh." Shunsui quickly decided he didn't want to know any more about Starrk's history, even if the man was willing to share it, which he probably wasn't. "Starrk, thank you. You saved my life." He said sincerely. The robot just nodded, clearly not wanting to talk any further. But then Kisuke spoke.

"I am afraid you really should be decommissioned, Starrk." He said gently and the toy whirled so fast, it was blinding. Shunsui could read the naked hostility in every line of his body.

"You always think you know what is best for everyone. I hate you." Starrk said bitterly as Urahara looked at him sadly. "You did this to me and now you want to destroy me for what you did to me. You are cruel."

"That isn't it. It's just that this is no way to live. You know that's true, Silence." He said gently and the toy huffed before speaking again.

"How is that true? I did hate it at first. I thought, fighting is not a game and I am not a toy. But Shunsui kept leaving me in his retaining field. I heard how much I cost him, heard him fighting with his parents. I felt bad for him. I decided to give him my skill, be his toy, make him feel better about himself." Shunsui couldn't help but blush at that.

"Starrk! I don't need you for that." It was almost insulting. His self-worth was not tied up in his toy. The little robot turned to regard him.

"Not now. Not for a long time. You grew up… but when you bought me, it was different. You must remember." Those serious blue-grey eyes stared up at him and Shunsui swallowed as he understood what the doll was saying.

"I… see what you mean." He said quietly, glad that the robot wasn't going into details in front of Kisuke. They both understood what Starrk meant, the problems he'd had with his family. His feeling of isolation, alone even with his parents in the same house. Had he left the toy in the retaining field when he used his video diary? He remembered his mother complaining about how often he left the robot active, using energy and raising the electrical bill. How much had Starrk seen? How much had he heard? "But I'm a man now. I don't need you." He said and was surprised as grey eyes seemed to grow cold and distant, even as his face remained a calm mask. How could Starrk put so much expression in just his eyes? Then the robot turned away from him and Shunsui hesitated. He felt like he'd just said something wrong… he opened his mouth to say something, but then the toy spoke to Kisuke.

"At least tell me what happened to my sister. Where is my Lilinette?" He demanded and Urahara gave the doll a reassuring smile.

"She's fine. Let me show you…" He took out a small tablet and began playing a video. It was of a young woman with green hair and strangely pink eyes. Some kind of genetic manipulation on the part of her parents? The hair could be dyed, but not the eyes. Starrk watched, silent, as she talked about how her University classes were going. "She has a full scholarship, paid for by the state. I've been taking care of her." Kisuke said to the silent doll after the video had finished. The robot just stared at the blank screen, nothing showing on his face. But Shunsui could almost feel his emotions. Then the toy blinked and shook himself, looking up at Urahara.

"I am ready to be decommissioned." The robot said quietly and Shunsui's mouth fell open.

"What? No!" He reached into the field, making the little toy jump in surprise and try to pull away from him. Starrk looked up at him, little face almost comically confused. "Why would you…? Starrk…" Although it wasn't much of a life for a person. Yet, Starrk had been upset when Kisuke had said that to him. Why had he suddenly changed his mind?

"You said… you no longer need me. I do not understand." Starrk sounded bewildered. They both looked over as Urahara suddenly laughed.

"You know, Silence, not everyone is like Aizen." Kisuke's smile at the robot was amused but also a touch sad. "Just because he doesn't need you, doesn't mean that Shunsui doesn't want you." He said and Shunsui stared down at the toy in his hand, who stared back. Had Starrk thought he wanted the other to die?

"Starrk, if you want to stay with me I would love to have you." He said softly. The robot looked at him searchingly for a long moment before nodding.

"If you want me, I want to stay." He said quietly. Then he smiled. Shunsui stared, his breath taken away by how beautiful that made his little robot. "But, Shunsui? Please don't leave me in the retaining field in your bedroom when you make love to Nanao." He said seriously and Shunsui choked. "It is not right."

"Y-You…! Why didn't you say anything earlier?" He demanded and the toy shrugged.

"No normal Angel would care about that. That is part of why I never spoke to you. I am not a robot and I cannot pretend to be." He sounded sad and Shunsui nodded. He'd never heard Starrk before, but he'd heard other robots. His little doll was clearly nothing like them. They were one-dimensional, often amusing but clearly artificial. Starrk had more depth.

"You know, Starrk-san, you are talking more than I think you ever have in your life." Kisuke observed and there was a dry chuckle from the robot.

"Nine years is a long time, even for me. I have been saving up." He said and they all laughed. "And since I am talking… I have an idea for how you could propose to Nanao, if you wish to hear." Starrk said and Shunsui smiled, looking at the doll attentively.

"Really? What's your idea?" He asked and listened as Coyote Starrk told him. It was… shockingly good. "She would love that." It would involve a special trip to Tokyo for a book signing, but it would be perfect. Why hadn't he thought of it? "Thank you, Starrk."

"It was nothing. I like to see you happy." The quiet sincerity in the little toy's voice made him smile. Shunsui gently lifted him up, removing him from the retaining field. Without power, the robots eyes closed. Shunsui wondered what it felt like, to him. Was it like sleeping?

Perhaps someday soon, he would ask.

"Why did you put your toy in the retaining field?" Nanao asked, a bit annoyed. "You know that costs money." She said. Shunsui smiled, looking down at Starrk. He was gazing up with the faintest smile on his little face.

"I just want him to see." He said lightly and Nanao made a face. He hadn't enlightened her about Starrk's status as a real person, not yet at least. He would have to tell her but he would save it for later. "When I was in Tokyo I got you something special… would you like to see?"

"Of course." She said, a touch surprised. He pulled out the book he'd bought her. It was by one of her favorite authors and she already had a copy, but this one was rather more special. "Shunsui? I already have this." She said with a small frown and he chuckled softly.

"But not signed by the author. Look." Her face brightened as she opened the cover and looked at the dedication. Then her breath caught in a strangled gasp. Shunsui smiled. He knew what she was reading.

Dear, sweet Nanao. Will you marry your beloved Shunsui?

-Fukima Mai

Beneath the words was taped an engagement ring. She put a hand over her mouth, stifling a sob, and he saw the tears in her eyes just before she hugged him.

"Yes. I'll marry you." She whispered and he hugged her back, feeling so happy his heart might almost explode. And nearby, his little doll watched, smiling happily.

Maybe Starrk was an Angel.


	2. Chapter 2

"Damn it." Shunsui muttered as he looked at the bills. Some of them were going to go unpaid. He'd already cut the cable so they were down to the necessities. How many months would it take before the heat and water were cut off? And could he ask his parents for a loan? Although he absolutely did not want to do that.

"I'm sorry Shunsui." Nanao was both miserable and pregnant. Shunsui smiled at her as reassuringly as he could before gently pulling her into his arms.

"It's not your fault." He whispered in her ear as she settled against his chest and softly sobbed. "Never think that." Nanao had always been the more highly paid of the two of them. She'd been a go getter, always pushing harder, trying to raise herself in the legal profession.

Yet, all she'd worked for had suddenly come to naught. The firm had been sold and she had suddenly been let go, to her shock. Shock had turned to dismay when she'd realized she was pregnant on top of it. Nanao had thought about terminating the pregnancy but Shunsui had begged her not to. He couldn't bear the thought of losing his first child that way. And he was thirty-two while Nanao was twenty-eight. Wasn't that a good time to start a family?

But they hadn't anticipated that Nanao would not be able to find a job. They hadn't expected anything good, of course. No one would offer a pregnant woman a permanent spot, when she would need to go on maternal leave almost immediately. Still, they had thought she would be able to find part time work. And she was picking up a few things but not enough. The economy was very bad right now and there were too many lawyers looking for work at the moment. Nanao was at a terrible disadvantage, with her condition becoming obvious.

"You need to move." Starrk said, his tiny voice echoing from his retaining field. It was, perhaps, foolish to keep the little robot active so much. But he had useful advice and they couldn't pay the electrical bill anyway. "Or Shunsui needs to take work in the oil fields." Shunsui grimaced at the thought. He did have the skills for it but that would mean being away from Nanao for months at a time. Away from Starrk, too, for that matter.

"I don't want that. And I don't want to move. The neighborhood…" Nanao said tearfully and his arms tightened around her. They had many friends here and it was a good neighborhood, a great place to raise a child. There was a soft sigh from the retaining field.

"I know many other ways to raise money but they are all illegal or immoral." Starrk said it so regretfully that Nanao actually giggled and Shunsui silently blessed the little robot. He seemed to have a knack for lightening the mood. "Shunsui?"

"…We could borrow money from my parents." He said after a moment and Nanao made a face. His family was well-off but acted like they were in the poor house. They would hold a loan over their heads, for certain. "We could even see if they would let us move in with them." Starrk's gagging sound was over the top theatrical and they both smiled. But then, the little robot knew his family intimately. And Shunsui knew that Nanao cordially despised his mother. Fortunately, he was not a mamma's boy or she would certainly not have married him.

"I wish my family could help." Nanao said unhappily and he nodded, understanding. Her family was much nicer than his but her brother was disabled and lived at home. There was just no room or money for their daughter. "We – we might want to see if your parents can take us in." She said bravely. "Until we get back on our feet." He nodded sadly.

"At least the lease is month to month." They could get out without a penalty. Shunsui glanced at Starrk and was surprised to see a strange, arrested expression on his face. It was so odd that he spoke sharply. "Starrk? What's wrong?" Nanao glanced over, surprised. The robot blinked and hesitated a moment before speaking.

"I have just received an e-mail from Urahara Kisuke." Starrk said slowly and Shunsui frowned before pulling out his cell phone and checking. Sure enough, he also had an e-mail in his inbox. "He wants to see us both at the earliest convenience. I strongly suggest we ignore this communication." Starrk said firmly and Shunsui frowned at him.

"I know you have a grudge against him but what harm can it do? He probably just wants to look at you." Starrk's expression was extremely skeptical and Shunsui lifted an eyebrow at him. "What do you think he could want with us?"

"…He has made me do illegal and immoral things." Starrk said bleakly and Shunsui was reminded that the man had been a spy and mercenary. "He is both ruthless and dangerously intelligent. He may want me to do such things for him again."

"Starrk, you're in the body of a toy." Nanao said gently and Starrk just looked at her. "How could you help him?"

"She's right." Shunsui said but Starrk shook his head. He couldn't help but frown at the little toy. He seemed to be in a state of quiet dread. "What are you afraid of?" The doll looked at him and Shunsui was struck by the worry hidden in those calm grey eyes.

"It would be possible to transfer my neural net to a much larger container." Starrk said after a moment and Shunsui blinked at the thought. "It would be obscenely expensive but Kisuke deals with those to whom money is no object." Starrk shook his head. "And yet, we do need money. Perhaps we should meet with him. He may have more news of my Lilinette." The Angel said, half to himself. Shunsui nodded. Starrk had gotten his own e-mail account and access to the net all so the little toy could see the videos Kisuke sent him, of his sister.

"I'll send him a message that we can meet him on Thursday, before work." Shunsui said after a moment. He was working evenings right now. His job was handling heavy machinery for a local construction company. It did pay reasonably well… just not enough to afford their luxurious little apartment in such an expensive city.

"I'll go bother my employers about my severance pay again. I can't believe how long it's taking!" Nanao sighed and Shunsui nodded sympathetically. Perhaps it was because of the sale of the firm, but her severance was taking far too long to materialize. It wouldn't last them long but it would pay off all their current bills, when they actually got it. That would be for Nanao to deal with, though. She could certainly threaten legal action.

Having trouble finding a job or not, his Nanao was an excellent lawyer.

"I'm sure you're both wondering why I wanted to speak to you." Kisuke said with a smile. Starrk stared at him distrustfully from his retaining field as Shunsui smiled at him. He liked Urahara even if Starrk didn't. But then, Starrk's background with him was painful. "Do you remember King Barragan, Silence?" He asked the little robot who just stared at him as if he was an idiot. "Of course you do. Would it surprise you to know he's employing the remaining Espada?"

"No." Starrk said, nothing more. Shunsui wasn't too surprised. The little robot had opened up a little with himself and Nanao, but he knew them extremely well. They hadn't hidden anything from what they'd thought was an AI, nothing but a fancy toy. Starrk trusted them in a way he trusted few other people, let alone someone like Kisuke. Urahara looked at the doll for a moment before smiling again.

"You are always so hard to talk to! Ah well. Shunsui, Barragan is the king of Hueco Mundo. It's a tiny kingdom but very strategically placed." Urahara's tone was businesslike now and Shunsui listened, wondering what this had to do with him. Starrk shifted, a tiny whisper of movement. "He is an absolute tyrant. Silence would know… he obeyed Aizen but that was out of fear, not loyalty. Now that Aizen is dead he rules as he wishes and he is… capricious. A treaty with him and our country has been forged but if we want him to sign it, he insists we defeat his champions in a gladiatorial contest." Shunsui blinked at the thought and glanced at Starrk. The little robot was looking very unhappy. "Not of the usual sort. Involving proxies… robots, to be precise. Like Angels but fully sized and with abilities that mimic human ones. Guns are included." Urahara smiled sunnily at Starrk, who glared back. "The two of you are an incredibly efficient pairing and Silence here knows all the methods of the Espada – "

"What is the punishment for failure?" Starrk cut him off sharply and Urahara's smile wilted a little around the edges. "What manner of death?" The robot demanded and Shunsui swallowed at the phrasing. The stakes here were higher than he had imagined. Kisuke's smile disappeared and he sighed, removing his hat for a moment.

"Ah, Starrk. You do know him so well… whatever death he chooses. Our last champion was flayed to death." Kisuke said quietly and Shunsui flinched. "One of the Espada was also punished, severely, for failing his bout. A neural prod, I'm told."

"Typical." Starrk muttered and Shunsui took a deep breath before speaking.

"Why would I even consider doing this?" He asked flatly. "I have a child on the way." Kisuke put his hat back on before smiling at him again.

"Because you have money problems." The other man said candidly and Shunsui blinked before frowning. Had they been spying on him? "Your government is willing to pay five millions dollars if you succeed in this service." He said and Shunsui's breath caught in his throat. "And a million dollar death benefit if you fail."

"…You are a cruel man, Urahara Kisuke." Starrk said after a moment and Kisuke gave him a small, sad smile.

"I do what I must for my people and my country, Silence." He said politely and Shunsui could see he truly meant it. Perhaps the greatest thing to remember about Urahara Kisuke was that he was fanatically devoted to the country. Shunsui just couldn't feel that way. It was a good place to live and he was glad to be here rather than somewhere else, but he couldn't feel as intensely about it as the other man. And his devotion to Nanao and his unborn child were far greater than anything that nebulous.

"I… have to discuss it with Nanao." That much money would assure their future. As expensive as their area was, it might cost a million dollars but they would be able to afford a beautiful home. They could invest the rest and with no rent to pay, only upkeep and taxes, he would be able to support them on his own salary. Kisuke nodded as Starrk looked away. The little robot's expression looked pinched, pained. Shunsui could easily guess why. It was hard for him to envision his own death. He didn't have much experience with mortality. Starrk had seen more death than he could imagine and he knew everyone involved. No doubt he could easily picture it.

"I understand. Please, take as long as you like." Urahara said politely and Shunsui nodded before reaching into the retaining field, gently gripping his little doll. Starrk gave him a troubled look before nodding and Shunsui lifted him out of the field. The robots eyes closed and Shunsui gently put him into his carrying case. He'd asked Starrk what it was like, being out of the retaining field and the answer was… nothing. To Starrk, no time at all passed when he was outside the field. He closed his eyes and immediately reopened them, as far as he could tell. Fortunately a transferal did not need sleep in the human sense.

Leaving the building, Shunsui felt his thoughts churning. Did he dare do this? Did he dare risk his life, for enough money to set his family forever? He wasn't sure, but one thing he definitely did know.

Nanao would have to agree with his decision.

"I wish to state for the record that I recommended ignoring his message." Starrk said flatly as Nanao looked at him in puzzlement, her hand around a mug of tea. Shunsui signed, rubbing his forehead. "I also want you to know that I do not in any way encourage any of this lunacy."

"Thank you Starrk. Just keep throwing me under the bus." Shunsui muttered and the little toy gave him a stern look. It was close to his normal expression. Nanao was frowning now.

"What is he talking about?" Shunsui struggled with himself for a moment. Her frown deepened. "Shunsui?"

"I will explain. If you wish?" Starrk asked and Shunsui hesitated before nodding. "It is as I suspected. Urahara Kisuke wants my services and now Shunsui's as well…" Starrk emotionlessly detailed the situation and at first, Nanao's expression indicated that she thought it must be a joke. But Starrk's attitude was anything but joking and she finally turned a horrified look on him. He avoided her eyes, guiltily aware that he was seriously considering it. She could see that, as well.

"Shunsui?! You aren't seriously thinking about this?" She questioned and he sighed, rubbing his forehead again. "How could you?!" She punched him in the arm and he winced.

"I want to support you, Nanao. You and our child." He said and her eyes began to fill with tears. Nanao wasn't usually so emotional but she was rather hormonal, right now.

"You need to support us by being with us! You can't do that if you're dead!" She said and he swallowed at the tearful emotion on her face. "I love you!" That made his heart twist. "Our baby needs you!"

"Nanao." He said huskily, taking her in his arms and holding her as she sobbed. "Shhh. It's alright. Shhh. I won't do it." She was right. The risk wasn't worth the reward. "We'll be fine. We'll make this work." Shunsui felt a great deal of relief as he came to that decision. This felt right and Nanao was absolutely correct. His child would need him.

He completely missed Starrk watching them with an air of great sadness. The little robot was very familiar with such things and didn't think this would be the end. He reached down to stroke his guns, briefly wishing he was not so good with them.

Being the best could be a terrible liability sometimes.

Over the next few weeks, things went horribly wrong.

Shunsui's work lost a major contract and he was suddenly faced with the prospect of a possible layoff. That was bad enough but when they cautiously approached his parents with the possibility of moving home, they were met with a flat refusal. To his shock, his mother somehow had the idea that Nanao had been unfaithful and the child belonged to someone else. He had absolutely no idea how she'd gotten that idea and shielded Nanao from it, but not Starrk. The little robot was quietly furious, his eyes dark with rage at the accusation.

They'd been forced to reevaluate their priorities and now they were finding an apartment in a cheaper part of town. But if he lost his job, they wouldn't be able to afford even that.

"If I have to go to the oil fields, we could find a place close to your parents." Shunsui said comfortingly to Nanao as they looked over the vacancies section of the online ads. She sniffed, rubbing her forehead and looking extremely stressed.

"I have received another e-mail from Urahara Kisuke." Starrk suddenly announced and they both looked over at him. "We must go to see him." The little robot sounded oddly fatalistic. Shunsui blinked at him.

"But we're not taking his offer." Although it was getting more tempting. The toy just looked at him for a moment, his expression calm. But Shunsui was struck by the pain in his eyes.

"I have something to say to him." That was all the little robot would say, even when they tried to get more from him. Shunsui finally made an appointment to talk to the man. Really, what could it hurt?

It turned out that it could hurt quite a bit, but the pain was coming anyway. Shunsui would never, in his worst nightmares, have imagined what was going to happen. Starrk, on the other hand, knew all too well.

"Well, Shunsui! Have you reconsidered my offer?" Kisuke asked with a smile and Shunsui hesitated a moment before shaking his head.

"No. My family needs me." Nanao steadfastly rejected the thought of him risking his life this way and he was not going to do it without her approval. Urahara looked at him thoughtfully.

"The offer has doubled. It will be ten million, with a two million death benefit." He said and Shunsui swallowed. That… was a lot of money. Enough that he might even be able to retire young and live on his investments. For a moment, the thought of it captured his imagination. No more worries about money… but then he resolutely set it aside. He needed to be there for his child.

"I'm sorry. I can't – " He started but then Starrk interrupted. His partner sounded bitter and angry.

"We will do what you want. We have no choice." Starrk stared at the little toy as he spat out the words. "This is the carrot and we've already seen the stick. Did you buy Nanao's law firm just to have her fired? Did you make sure that Shunsui's place of work would lose that government contract? I checked, I know it was governmental. Did you have an actress befriend his mother and whisper sweet lies about Nanao? What else will you do to us, if we continue you to say no?"

"Starrk!" That was utterly insane. "That's paranoid nonsense. Apologize to him!" He knew they had a history but he couldn't believe… Kisuke laughed. It was a sad sound and Shunsui looked at him, embarrassed on Starrk's behalf.

"Oh, Shunsui. While I enjoy seeing you defend me, I have already decided to put my cards on the table." He tilted his hat back with a smile that was both amused and slightly regretful. "Coyote Starrk is completely correct in his accusations." He said and Shunsui stared at him in blank shock for a moment. Starrk was... correct?

"That is… you can't…" Shunsui reeled at the revelation. Urahara had been behind all of this? Unravelling their lives around them? "How dare you! We'll sue you!" There was a laugh from the retaining field and he looked at the robot as Starrk spoke.

"Sue him for what? A private shell corporation buying a law firm and letting go of a junior partner? Speaking to a high level government employee to have a particular contract pulled? Spreading rumors? None of this is actionable. It is immoral and disgusting, but not a matter for the law." Starrk sounded terribly bitter and knowing. "His back is to the wall and now he is putting ours to the wall as well. Tell me, have you lost more champions since we refused?"

"Yes, two more." Kisuke said, looking tired now. "You're very right, Silence. My back is to the wall. Now, will you take my offer? I don't enjoy making you miserable but I will if I must." He said and Shunsui swallowed hard, feeling a rage like nothing he'd ever felt in his life.

"I will not forget this." He said harshly and Starrk suddenly spoke, his voice ringing with panic.

"Shunsui, no! You cannot… he is too dangerous! Do not say such things!" The toy urged him and his fear was a bucket of cold water on Shunsui's rage. Kisuke laughed, although it wasn't a happy sound.

"Oh, Silence! I'm not Aizen, you know. And Shunsui isn't you. He's not the kind of man to come after me with guns or a car bomb." He spoke to the little robot, who stared at him doubtfully. "I doubt he would ever do anything illegal, particularly with a child on the way. Hmm?" Kisuke looked at him and Shunsui grit his teeth. He had to admit, if only to himself, that the other man was right. "You can hate me if you want. In fact, I would expect nothing less. But I need your cooperation and I'm going to have it." The determination in those grey eyes… Shunsui had no doubt that the other man meant it. He swallowed and squared his shoulders before responding.

"I have to talk to Nanao." Although he knew what her eventual response would be. It made his mind reel, how badly he had misjudged Urahara Kisuke. But he'd never, in all his life, imagined that someone would behave so ruthlessly. But Starrk had warned him. And he'd thought the robot was being paranoid.

Shunsui didn't know what was going to happen now but he knew one thing. He would not ignore Starrk's opinions a second time.


End file.
